Beef and Mushroom Blended Burger

This burger — bun and all — has fewer calories than a peanut butter clif bar. Fewer than a medium cafe mocha at Starbucks. And less even than a small turkey sandwich at Subway.

Indeed, this burger comes in at a weensy 250 calories a pop.

AND it’s super tasty.

Two key factors make it both low in calories and high in flavor:

1. The Secret Ingredient

Instead of using 100 percent ground beef, the recipe replaces mushrooms for some of the meat. That little step knocks down the calories and saturated fat significantly and bumps up the flavor and texture. If you’re skeptical, consider this: In a blind taste test comparing an all-beef dish to a beef and mushroom blended burger, more than half of consumers preferred the blended version. Why? The mushrooms add that signature umami quality and trap moisture in the meat. It’s also the more sustainable option. As for the mushroom taste? It pretty much goes under the radar. Keep it to yourself and your dining companions won’t know what hit them except for a really good burger.

2. The Bun

Typical white flour burger buns add lots of calories and not a whole lot else. Here, the bread of choice is a Foldit from Flatout, which has just 90 calories and a boatload of fiber. It’s also the perfect scale — not too big — which means your juicy burger and favorite toppings don’t get dwarfed by an oversized bun. This is probably among the reasons it’s the official flatbread for Weight Watchers (let’s be honest, anything that’s good enough for Oprah is good enough for moi).

I encourage you to try this. I was downright thrilled when it worked so successfully, and even more so when Mr. Mom’s Kitchen (who considers himself a bit of a burger connoisseur) liked it as much as I do.

Better-for-You Burger

Who knew a burger this good could be good for you too. The key? Blending mushrooms into the mix, which adds umami, moisture, and goes totally under the radar as far as flavor goes. A traditional bun gets swapped out for a whole grain Flatout Foldit, which adds just 90 calories a burger, along with a whopping dose of fiber. Best of all? Delicious.

Course
Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine
American

Prep Time15minutes

Total Time21minutes

Servings4burgers

Calories250kcal

Authorkatiemorford

Ingredients

⅓poundcremini or white button mushrooms

¾poundlean ground beef

½teaspoonkosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Four whole grain Flatout Foldits

Instructions

Put the mushrooms in a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Pulse until they blend up into tiny pieces.

Set a large non-stick or cast iron skillet over medium. When the pan is hot, add the mushrooms. Saute until the mushrooms release their liquid and it evaporates from the pan, a couple of minutes. The mushrooms will turn tender and darken.

Transfer the mushrooms to a bowl with the ground beef. When cool enough to handle, use your hands to mix the mushrooms and meat evenly together. Try not to overwork the mixture. Form into 4 patties and season with the salt and a light dusting of freshly ground black pepper.

Cook the burgers using your favorite method -- grilled, cooked in a skillet, or broiled -- until done to your liking.

Just before serving, lightly warm the Flatout Foldits. Put a burger on each one and add your favorite toppings.